Serengeti National Park.
Serengeti National Park, a proud UNESCO World Heritage site, is among the top safari tours worldwide to spot wildlife in their natural habitat. This park is sometimes referred to as a wildlife hub. It covers an area in the northwestern quadrant of Tanzania, just a stone’s throw from Kenya’s border. On its northern side, it meets the Maasai Mara national reserve, which is in Kenya. Serengeti national park on the south East surrounds the Ngorongoro conservation area, Maswa game reserve to the southwest, Ikorongo and Gumet game reserves to the northeast and Loliondo game control area to the East. Most people that have been to Tanzania, would say the Serengeti National Park top their list of places to go on safari. This park is a mosaic of grasslands, savannah, riverine forest, and forests spread over 14, 763 square kilometres. Serengeti park is an African Wildlife safari destination opened to the world with its unending rolling plains decorated with the name “siringet”, the word siringet is a Maasai word for never-ending plains or the place where the land flows evermore.
There are endless landscapes and geographical features scattered all over Serengeti National Park including Lobo valley, Barfafu Gorge and Kopjes, Matiti plains, olduvai gorge, makoma hill, kusini plains, lake Ndutu, lower Grumeti woodlands, retina hippo pool, Seronera valley, Lamai triangle, upper grumeti woodlands and kopjes such as Moru kopjes, Masai kopjes, Gol kopjes and Simba kopjes.
Attractions in Serengeti National Park
Animal species.
Serengeti National Park is one of the most beautiful safari destinations in Tanzania and the world for a wildlife safari to experience the different creatures that live in the wild. The park is home and habitat of several species of mammals which are among the “big five” and other animals such as carnivores, primates and reptiles can also be found. Serengeti national park hosts many different kinds of animals, including lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos, Topis, elands, coke’s hartebeests, giraffes, impalas, warthogs, various species of antelopes such as roan antelopes, common eland, bushbucks, greater kudus, fringe- eared oryxes and dik-dik, aardvark, aardwolf, bat-eared fox, ground pangolin, crested porcupine, 3 species of hyraxes, cape hare and many more. Serengeti national park is home to a variety of reptiles such as leopard tortoises, crocodiles, African pythons, black-necked spitting cobras, puff Ander, black mambas, and many more.
Bird species.
Serengeti national park is also one of the most prominent listed Tanzania bird watching safari destination offering over 500 bird species, the birds include Maasai ostrich, marabou storks, black crake, lesser flamingo, Ashy starling, love birds, yellow barbets, crowned cranes, helmeted guinea fowls, southern ground hornbill, kori bustards, secretary birds, small finches, Hartlaub’s turaco, and many more.
The wildebeest migration.
Wildebeest migration is rightfully referred to as one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The major reason for a majority of people who visit Serengeti National Park is to witness the migration. A total of over 1.5 million wildebeests plus a huge number of other herbivores go on a circuit of the Serengeti area on foot every year, and for the most part, they spend their time in the Serengeti National Park. The event is referred to as the “great wildebeest migration.”
Witnessing the animals crossing the Grumeti River and the Mara River while being chased by the predators on the way to Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya is one of the best moments to have in Serengeti National Park. It is one of the most iconic pictures in the park. A majority of tourists who visit Serengeti National Park seem to like taking part in a safari by watching the wildebeest migration.
Grumeti River and Mara River.
Many visitors consider the Grumeti River and the Mara River as the best spots that one can visit in Serengeti National Park. This is especially when the wildebeest are migrating through these rivers from May to August.
Seronera River Valley.
Seronera River Valley which is in the Seronera region is in the center of Serengeti National Park and is the home of different animals. It is one of the destinations that attracts visitors who are interested in seeing diverse animals in Serengeti National Park.
Safari activities to do in Serengeti national park.
Game drives.
One of the most common activities to do on a Tanzania safari is to go on a game drive in Serengeti National Park. Game drives are conducted in 4X4 vehicles that tour the park’s four main sections: Seronera and the south, Grumeti and the western corridor, central Serengeti, and northern Serengeti. Morning game drive which is a good chance to get close to big cats such as lions, leopards, cheetahs who are on a hunting spree and sun bathing.
Afternoon game drive is done after lunch and that is the right time to see the different animal species gathering at the water points to quench their thirst which presents the perfect game driving safari. Full game drive which is done over a full day and give you the opportunity to visit every section of the park while still being able to see a lot of the animals such as zebras, leopards, elephants and many more.
Night game drive started in the dark hours and carried with the help of a spot light, this game drive is suitable for finding nocturnal animals like lions, leopards, cheetahs and many more.
Generally game drives in Serengeti national park attracts animals such as lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos, Topis, elands, coke’s hartebeests, giraffes, impalas, warthogs, different species of antelopes such as roan antelopes, common eland, bushbucks, greater kudus, fringe- eared oryxes and dik-dik and many more.
Hot air balloon safaris.
Hot air balloon safaris over Serengeti National Park are a stunning and iconic means of viewing the vastness of the park and the various attractions that it offers from a Tanzania safari. This marvelous safari adds the extra thrill of airborne game viewing to regular game drives with magnificent aerial views of Serengeti National Park’s wilderness, amongst which are the big five including the king of beasts, lions, the elephant, buffalo, leopard, and also cheetah besides the spectacular scenery. Hot air balloon rides in Serengeti are usually conducted during the early hours of the morning, around 6 a.m., from preselected and authorized sites in the Seronera area.
The whole experience lasts for about an hour or two, and the highlight is a champagne breakfast in the bush. The three designated hot air balloon safari sites in Serengeti National Park are; Seronera, located in central Serengeti above the Seronera river valley which offers the sights of animals gathering along the river.
By flying over the Grumeti River in the Western Serengeti in June and July, one gets to witness the wildebeest migration crossing the river.
South Serengeti plains, making the most of airspace over the southern plains and the main attractions would be witnessing the great wildebeest migration calving period, which involves 8000 new-born getting spotted. Hot air balloon safaris are a photographer’s dream come true as it allows capturing the untouched wilderness of nature through scenic nature photographs.
Bird watching.
Serengeti National Park is the most famous bird watching safari in Tanzania. It is the ideal place for bird lovers as the park has more than 500 species of birds living in the different habitats within the park’s area. Bird watching safari can be by assisted by professional birding safari guide who help you spot the most beautiful and brightly colored bird species while at the same time having a pair of binoculars and a camera. Bird watching Safari in Serengeti National Park is a wonderful opportunity to see an abundance of different bird species such as the Maasai ostrich, marabou storks, black crake, lesser flamingo, Ashy starling, love birds, yellow barbets, crowned cranes, helmeted guinea fowls, southern ground hornbill, Kori bustards, secretary birds, Oxpeckers, small finches, Hartlaub’s turaco, etc.
Bird watching in Serengeti National Park takes off at dawn literally when birds are waking up and thus the best time for birding is from November to April which is breeding season for most birds besides that during this period migratory birds from Europe and other parts of Africa are present in the park, though bird watching is possible throughout the year.
Walking safaris.
Walking Safari in Serengeti National Park offers that extra step of exploration beyond the reach of vehicles. By engaging in this traditional way of game viewing, you get really close and personal with encounters of big game animals such as lions, elephants, and many, many more in the wild areas of the park. Saving the best for last, a Walking Safari is always supported by knowledgeable game rangers as well as other guides providing you with a level of security and informed walking experience.
Where to stay in Serengeti national park.
There is a great variety of safari lodges and camps that provide accommodation to visitors in the Serengeti national park. Safari lodges and camps in Serengeti national park are classified under luxury, midrange, and budget categories. Some of them include Mwiba lodge, Lake Ndutu luxury tented camp, Namiri plains camp, And Beyond Under Canvas, Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti camp, Olakira camp, Serengeti bush tops camp, Ndutu wilderness camp, woodlands camps, Serengeti Ndutu safari lodge, among others.
How to get to Serengeti national park.
Serengeti national park is situated in a secluded part of north Tanzania and is a very convenient Tanzania safari location for a range of cities such as Arusha city; the park is reachable by both road and air transport.
By road transport: You can enter and leave Serengeti National Park through Naabi Hill gate, Ndabaka gate, Klein’s gate, and Bologonya gate. There are great roads from Arusha to the main gates of the park which take a drive of about 6-7 hours. It is advisable to use a 4X4 vehicle if you are planning to drive to Serengeti National Park.
By air transport: Serengeti national park is reachable through international air travel as well as regional air travel. For international air travel, the favored place of entry to the park is Kilimanjaro international airport situated between Moshi and Arusha towns; from Kilimanjaro international airport to the Serengeti national park is a distance of 200 miles. International flights of KLM, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and other airlines do land at this airport. When at Kilimanjaro international airport, you can board connecting flights to Nairobi.
Regional flights to Serengeti National Park are offered by local airlines such as Air Excel, Coastal Aviation, and Regional Air from Kilimanjaro International Airport and Arusha Airport to one of the 7 airstrips that serve the park. The flight duration is between 1-5 hours.
